Parent with a Non-verbal Autistic Child Who Can Relate to My Problems?

I am so sorry you have to deal with this. I am a former early intervention specialist. I don't have an autistic child.
Not too long ago, there was a news segment on our local channel about an autistic girl, maybe a little older than your daughter, who was finally able to communicate by computer. She was very articulate when using it.
I hope this gives you some hope and you find a way to communicate.
Here's a link about another girl: http://writenow.wordpress.com/2008/02/21/severely-autisti...
Good luck and God bless.

I want to lend you support. I know you are looking for a parent of a non-verbal child. My son is verbal however my girlfriend at church has a girl who is 8 and does not speak much at all. My friend puts on a good face in front of many but I know from her openning up a little the struggles that she faces day-to-day. I can contact her and ask if she'd be interested in communicating with you as I do not want to just provide her information without her knowing. I hope you find lots of support.

I read a blog of a mother with twin boys who are non-verbal with severe autism. It is very humbling. I can't think of her blog address right now...

But these are a few good reads that may be of help/comfort to you:

http://autism-daddy.blogspot.com
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=4311223&page=1#...
http://musicpsychology.co.uk/music-based-therapy-helps-no...

Not a mom... Cousin.

My C is 33 now, chronologically, but never made it past the age/ability of a 2yo. For many years my aunt and uncle tried to do 24/7 care, then divorce (which gave each of them some time off), but by 9/10 he spent summers at a LFA facility, then 50/50 at a facility, and now it's mostly full time. Their biggest wish is that they'd gone halftime when he was younger ... Or that respite care had been available.

It sounds like your daughter is more advanced than my C. There has never been any question about reading, although they were hopeful about potty training for about 15 years, that was never able to come to be. He only interacts with pacman, orange foods, and 1 Disney show. Although he does hug (dangerous), and can be led around... He's in an entirely different world.

Sometimes I think God IS watching us all the time. That kids like my C know EVERYTHING all the time... Keeping an eye on the world... And that's why they're not really present / it's sooooooo hard for them to connect with what's right in front of them. HFA, might just have a piece of the world, but LFA has the whole durn thing.

I'm sorry. I wish I could be of more help. My exaunt and uncle don't really do the support thing. With LFA, there's so precious little TIME. If you haven't already... The regional children's hospital may have an LFA route for you. That's the only other place, outside my fam, that I've met a lot of LFA famines (because of accompanying health problems... Often nutritional (ngtubes, etc), although there are many other common problems (broken bones, soft tissue injuries, eating objects, breathibg problems, etc.)

W.-
You should try contacting the Viriginia Institute of Autism. They are located in Charlottesville, but they have worked with other school systems and offer assistance besides just their school. I have heard rave reviews about them from many parents. They can probably help you connnect with other parents in your situation. Here is a link to their website http://www.viaschool.org/index.php/resources/educational_...
Best of luck to you!
- S.

I feel like you are severely limiting yourself when you don't see the benefit of knowing people with spectrum kids. Here is the thing, they are all wired the same way, just some more than others. Because I can communicate with Andy I can also translate his thought process. I can explain why he goes from A to B to G. Your child is also going from A to B to G but she can't tell you that.

I guess I am saying if you have an idea of what is going on in her mind you have a better understanding of the non verbals you are seeing. Just like I cannot attribute the same meaning to what my son says compared with a normal child, you should not attribute the non verbals compared with a normal child.

Does that make sense?

If you haven't already, reach out to autismspeaks.org and see if they can point you in the right direction. They have a lot of resources, and I believe there is at least 1 office in most major cities.